Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2003

Transcription

1 Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2003 Office of the Government of the Czech Republic Secretariate of the Government Council for National Minorities Prague 2004

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3 GOVERNMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC RESOLUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC No. 663 from 30 June 2004 to the Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2003 T h e G o v e r n m e n t I. t a k e s i n t o a c c o u n t the Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2003 included in Part III of the document No. 870/04 and amended according to the comment of the Government (hereinafter Report ); II. a m e n d s 1. Government Resolution No. 600 from 12 June, 2002 to Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2001 as amended by Government Resolution No. 822 from 6 August, 2003 to the effect that item II/I of the above Resolution is cancelled; 2. Government Resolution No. 822 from 6 August 2003 to Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2002 to the effect that a) item III/I b, c, II/2 and III/3 of the above Resolution are cancelled, b) item III/4 of the above Resolution is designated as III/2 and item II/5 of the above Resolution is designated as II/3; III. i m p o s e s on 1. the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources in co-operation with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance to enter into the bill of Act on the State Budget of the Czech Republic for 2005, budget chapter General Cash Administration, an item for the reconstruction of a building for the establishment of House of National Minorities in Prague, at the amount of CZK which will be utilised as an investment grant for the Capital City of Prague according to Part 2.3 of the Report; 2. the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources in co-operation with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance and the Lady-Minister of Education, Youth and Sports to enter into the bill of Act on the State Budget of the Czech Republic, budget chapter General Cash Administration, an item for the reconstruction of Primary School of Henryk Sienkiewicz with Polish as a language of instruction in Jablunkov at the amount of CZK which will be utilised as an investment grant for the city of Jablunkov, according to part 4.3 of the Report, provided that Jablunkov will ensure the completion of financing the reconstruction; 3. the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance in co-operation with the Minister of Culture and the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights

4 and Human Resources to enter into the bill of Act on the State Budget of the Czech Republic for 2005, the budget chapter of the Ministry of Culture, increasing the limit of expenses of the budget chapter of the Ministry of Culture by CZK for the activities of Museum of the Roma Culture in Brno, the establishment of its permanent exposition in 2005 and the operation of this Museum in following years at the amount of CZK, and to ensure the increase of the binding indicator of budget chapter of the Ministry of Culture The Volume of Financial Means for Salaries by CZK, and increasing the limit of the number of employees in institutions receiving contributions from the State Budget by 23 persons according to part 2.1. of the Report; 4. the Vice-Chairman of the Government for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources to a) elaborate the final text of the Report according to item I of this Resolution, b) submit to the Government until 31 May 2006, in the frame of the Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2005, Report on the Financial Means from the State Budget of the Czech Republic expended according to item III/1-3 of this Resolution; c) ensure the publication of this Resolution in the Government Journal for the authorities of regions and municipalities; IV. a u t h o r i s e s the Prime Minister to submit the Report according to items I and III/4 of this Resolution to the Chairman of Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic for the information of respective committees of the Parliament of the Czech Republic; V. r e c o m m e n d s chief executive officers, mayors of statutory towns and municipalities with empowered local authorities and municipalities where a Committee for National Minorities was established to ensure providing grants from public finances for the activities of the members of national minorities and the support of the integration of the members of the Roma community by virtue of Government Resolution No. 98/2002 Coll. which determines the conditions and way of providing grants from the State Budget for the activities of the members of national minorities and the support of the integration of the members of the Roma community. Performed by: Prime Minister 1 st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources and Chairman of the Government Council for National Minorities Lady-Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Minister of Culture Noted by: Chief executive officers Mayors of statutory towns Prime Minister PhDr. Vladimír Špidla

5 Content page 1. Introduction 1 2. Measures determined by Government Resolution Museum of the Roma Culture KHAMORO Roma World Festival Prague House of National Minorities in Prague Humanitarian gesture towards the active antagonists of Nazism and the members of national minorities The support of projects of the members of national minorities 9 3. Selected legislative measures relating to the rights of the members of national minorities and open issues within the competence of government authorities Measures in the field of education with respect to the members of national minorities Measures for the assurance of preconditions for the preservation and development of the culture of national minorities The support of the cultural activities of individual national minorities The support of the spreading and reception of information in the languages of national minorities The programme of the support of the integration of the members of the Roma community The activities of local and regional governments Municipalities 40 Albrechtice 41 Bocanovice 43 Bukovec 44 Bystřice 44 Horní Lomná 45 Horní Suchá 45 Hradec Nová Ves 47 Hrádek 48 Chomutov 48 Chotěbuz 49 Jablunkov 50 Komorní Lhotka 51 Milíkov 52

6 Mosty u Jablunkova 53 Návsí 54 Nýdek 54 Řeka 55 Těrlicko 56 Vělopolí The municipalities of statutory towns 58 Brno 58 České Budějovice 60 Havířov 62 Jihlava 63 Karviná 64 Kladno 68 Liberec 69 Mladá Boleslav 71 Olomouc 71 Ostrava 73 Pardubice 76 Pilsen 79 Ústí nad Labem 83 Zlín Regional municipalities 85 South-Bohemian region 85 Southern Moravian region 87 Karlovy Vary region 90 Hradec Králové region 91

7 Moravian-Silesian region 94 Olomouc region 97 Pardubice region 102 Pilsen region 105 Prague 106 Ústí region 109 Zlín region The introspection of national minorities 111 Bulgarian minority 111 Croatian minority 115 Hungarian minority 116 German minority 117 Polish minority 119 Roma minority 121 Ruthenian minority 121 Russian minority 124 Greek minority 126 Slovak minority 129 Serbian minority 135 Ukrainian minority 142 Appendices 1. Selective procedure Cultural activities of the members of national minorities 2. The overview of the projects within the Programme of the Integration of the Members of the Roma Community in The overview of allocated grants - Department of Art and Libraries 4. The account of grants for the issue of the periodicals of national minorities in The list of schools and pupils of the schools of the Polish national minority - the school year 2002/2003 and 2003/ The list of projects adopted within Programme of the Support of Education in the Languages of National Minorities and Multicultural Education in st - 3 rd round

8 7. Projects within the Support Programme of the Integration of the Roma Community in Grants from Budget Chapter 113 of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for the solution of the problems of national (ethnic) minorities in Municipalities where more than 10 % of population are the members of national minorities 10. The overview of municipalities on which a duty to establish the Committee for National Minorities was imposed (ordered according to national identities)

9 1. Introduction Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in 2003 (hereinafter Report ) is the third document after the adoption of Act No. 273/2001 Coll. on the Rights of the Members of National Minorities and the amendment of some acts (hereinafter Minorities Act ) which by virtue of Article 2/2e) of the Status of the Government Council for National Minorities gives actual information about the situation of national minorities in the Czech Republic during the last calendar year. It was elaborated by the secretariat of Government Council for National Minorities on the basis of source materials inter alia of the representatives of national minorities whose participation represents one of the forms of active contribution to the solution of problems realting to them. In comparison with previous years the Report is arranged in a different way. This results from the fact that the elaboration of source materials of respective government authorities and representatives of national minorities passed off in parallel with the preparation of Second Periodical Report on the Performance of Principles of Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. 1) Although the Report for 2003 is structured in detail to more sections, it consists of three thematic blocks: a) an overview of knowledge of measures which result from existing government resolutions relating to the rights of the members of national minorities in 2003 including knowledge about the competence of respective ministries; b) information about the activities of local governments at the level of regions and municipalities in the field of national minority policy; c) the self-reflection of national minorities. The stress is laid upon the detailed overview of the attitudes of local and regional governments in the field of national minority policy. From this point of view it is necessary to call attention especially to information given by the representatives of municipalities, statutory towns and regions which illustrate some of them prove surprisingly pro-active attitudes at the level of self-administration in the field of minority policy, although the municipalities often have not their own committees for national minorities. It is necessary to stress that the representatives of the members of national minorities, especially the Polish one, appreciate changes which came in 2003 in the field of media. It concerns above all to the programmes of the Ostrava studio of the Czech Television. Since September 2003 it has been weekly broadcasting news for the Polish minority. Also new TV magazine Babylon which has been prepared during 2003 by the Ostrava studio of the Czech Television was received positively. This weekly, broadcasted from the beginning of 2004, is engaged in the problems of the life of national minorities and foreigners in the Czech Republic. Its contribution consists above all in giving the first opportunity to the public Czech Television to present minority languages. It is a TV magazine for national minorities and about them, i.e. also for the majority society. An important act in the field of national minority policy in 2003 is also the publication of National Minority Policy of the Czech Republic - Key Documents. 2) In this context the Report evaluates comprehensively the measures of the state in the field of grant policy with respect to the support of the preservation and development of minority cultures. On the other hand it 1) The Report covers the period between 1999 and See Government Resolution No. 618 from 6 June 2004 to Second Periodical Report on the Performance of Principles of Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities by which the government approved this document. The Czech Republic is obliged to submit this document to the Secretary General of Council of Europe until 30 June ) Published by Office of the Government of the Czech Republic - Secretariat of Government Council for National Minorities, Prague 2003, pp See also 1

10 evaluates negatively situation in the field of education of the members of national minorities, especially the possibility of education in their mother tongues, the utilisation of minority languages in the public life and - in case of the Polish national minority - the possibility to apply bilingual names etc. The correspondence of national minority policy of the Czech Republic with international standards determined by Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as well as the issues relating to the rights of national minorities are actually treated especially in contribution to the discussion delivered in the seminar on the implementation of principles determined by this Convention on 2 December 2003 in the Koloděje castle. 3) 2. Measures determined by Government Resolutions 2.1. Museum of the Roma Culture The activities of Museum of the Roma Culture in Brno and its institutional transformation had been treated in detail by the Report for In this context the Government Resolution imposed a duty on the Minister of Culture in co-operation with the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources to elaborate and submit to the government until 30 September 2003 the bill on the establishment of Museum of the Roma Culture as a state contributory institution. 4) The bill was elaborated on the basis of a presumption that the amount of CZK would be earmarked from the State Budget for 2004 as an investment grant for city Brno to cover the realisation of the permanent exposition of the museum, CZK earmarked for the activities of the museum and increasing the the number of employees of the Ministry of Culture in 23 persons, i.e. the employees of Museum of the Roma Culture. The new state institution receiving contributions from the State Budget, and financial means in budget chapter Culture - Expenses on Wages at the level of CZK. Within interdepartmental comment procedure the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Culture took a principal objection for these financial requirements. Nevertheless, the settlement of a comment procedure did not remove disagreement with the Ministry of Finance which did not agree with increasing the number of employees of the Ministry of Culture (and consequent annual increasing the limit of wages in budget chapter Culture by CZK). In addition, this Ministry did not agree with one-off increasing the investments on the establishment of the permanent exposition of the museum. The solution of the above problem postponed the legislative procedure of the preparation of the bill to 30 November The bill on the establishment of Museum of the Roma Culture was discussed by the working commissions of Legislative Council of the Government, i.e. commissions for Finance Law (on 17 December 2003) and for Administrative Law (on 5 January 2004). Legislative comments were included in the opinion of the Chairman of Legislative Council of the Government from 14 January He recommended the government to approve the bill on the establishment of Museum of the Roma Culture and adopt respective Government Resolution without the specification of financial obligations. The floor manager did not agree with this opinion because it was necessary not only to approve the bill but also to ensure financial means. Therefore a bill with dissension was submitted for the meeting of the government on 21 January The government interrupted its discussion on this bill and recommended to carry out a new comment procedure. 3) The proceedings of this seminar were issued by the secretariat of the Council in co-operation with the secretariat of Advisory Committee for Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe, Prague 2004, 72 p. See also 4) See item III/1a) of Government Resolution No. 822 from 6 August 2003 to Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in

11 After consulting the possibilities of the transformation of Museum of the Roma Culture to a state contributory institution conducted by the Deputy Minister of Culture, the Deputy Minister of Finance and the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources, the question of following steps remains open. The Ministry of Finance assumes that the fulfilment of the task resulting from Government Resolution No. 822 from 6 August 2003 is now difficult owing to the reform of public finances. According to the Ministry of Finance this changed situation is the reason of a consideration to repeal this task. It was said that the reform of public finances was the reason for the government to decide once more under these changed conditions on the most appropriate way of financing Museum of the Roma Culture. In the course of negotiations the representatives of the Ministry of Finance also stated that they monitored the existing legislative procedure relating to the amendment of Act No. 122/2000 Coll. on the protection of museum collections and amendments of some other acts where the Legislative Council proposed to add a new paragraph enabling the Ministry of Culture to establish museums as state contributory institutions. If it happened in the second half of 2004, it would be possible to establish Museum of the Roma Culture as a state contributory institution without a special act. Nevertheless, this does not solve the main problem necessity to increas the number of employees and wages in the budget chapter of the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture asked for the postponement of the term for submitting a new document for the meeting of the government to 30 June 2004 and pledged that it would reevaluate the proposed solutions of the transformation of Museum of the Roma Culture in Brno. In this context the Minister of Culture sent on 27 May 2004 for the purpose of interdepartmental comment procedure a letter with the new draft of a document for the meeting of the government under the title The Bill on the Establishment of Museum of the Roma Culture which showed that the museum as a public benefit association could not carry out its full-value activities. It is clear from the evaluation of existing situation that the best solution in respect of the economic assurance of the museum and its professional position consists in its transformation to a state contributory institution, established by the Ministry of Culture. For the solution of Roma problems the museum plays a non-replaceable role and therefore its institutional transformation is topical to a high degree. In this context four variants of solution were taken into account: a) to keep the museum as a public benefit association; b) to establish the museum as a new state institution; c) to broaden the activities of some state contributory institution and incorporate the museum into its organisational structure as a new part; d) to establish the museum as a new state contributory institution. The first variant is linked with the existential problems of the museum. Within the framework of standard grant programmes it is not possible to ensure continual covering the necessary operating expenses, expenses on the professional activities of the museum and the establishment of its permanent exposition. This is proved by the fact that in the second half of 2004 the museum could be closed because of the lack of financial means for its operation. The second variant, i.e. the establishment of the museum as a new state institution, was refused by the Ministry of Culture and the existing management of the museum as inconvenient. The third variant was refused categorically by the management of the museum for fear of the loss of its identity. It means that the most convenient variant is to establish a state contributory institution. This variant is supported by the Ministry of Culture and the existing management of the museum. Although each of the above variants is linked with requirements towards the State 3

12 Budget, the preconditions for the function of the museum can be ensured, if it has the status of a state contributory institution which accords with possible economical measures taken further to the reform of public finances. Therefore it is suggested to include financial means for Museum of the Roma Culture as a state contributory institution in the draft of the State Budget for 2005 and following years, as it results from the draft of a resolution to the submitted Report KHAMORO Roma World Festival in Prague By Government Resolution No. 347 from 7 April 2003 the government approved earmarking the financial means in 2003 at the level of CZK from budget chapter General Cash Administration, item Governmental Budget Reserve, to the budget chapter of the Ministry of Culture for the implementation of the project of 5 th KHAMORO Roma World Festival 2003 in Prague. In item III/4 of this Resolution the government imposed a duty on the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources in cooperation with the Minister of Culture to elaborate and submit to the government until 31 May 2004 (by virtue of 12 of Government Decree No. 98/2002 Coll.) a report on the utilisation of financial means earmarked for holding the above festival. KHAMORO Roma World Festival Prague, organised by Civil Association Slovo (Word) 21 (hereinafter Slovo 21 ), is an activity which since 1999 has been putting stress not only on the presentation of Roma musical traditions in European and non-european countries, but also professional meetings and discussions on the key problems of the life of the Roma in the Czech Republic and abroad under the active participation of local and foreign politicians. The 5 th festival took place on May 2003 under the auspices of Ramiro Cibrian, the representative and head of Delegation of European Commission in the Czech Republic, and Emil Ščuka, the president of International Romani Union. Like in previous years the programme of the festival included not only the performances of music and dance but also professional seminars and exhibitions. There were 10 groups of traditional Roma music and 3 jazz bands performed, representing totally 13 countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Chile, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Greece, Slovakia, Germany and Spain) within the framework of musical part of the festival. The topics of professional seminars KHAMORO 2003: - Traditional and Contemporary Roma Music - Music at the Turn of the Millennium (26 May 2003, Faculty of Music of Academy of Performing Arts, Lichtenstein Palace, Prague). Organiser: Zuzana Jurková, Faculty of the Humanities of the Charles University. Renowned European musicologists and ethno-musicologists who deal with Roma music took part in negotiations. Contributions were issued in a separate journal. 5) - The Genocide of the Roma during the World War II (27 May 2003, Jewish Community, Prague). Consultant: Jana Horváthová, Museum of the Roma Culture in Brno, and Helena Dluhošová, the employee of Office of the President of the Czech Republic. The seminar followed up with the conference, organised by the preparatory committee for unveiling the monument in Lety u Písku along with Museum of the Roma Culture in Brno in 1995 in Písek. This meeting filled up a gap that occurred after Písek seminar. European and non- European experts of Roma studies who deal in the problems of Roma holocaust during the World War II took part in the meeting. - Non-profit Organisations for EU - the Integration of Socially Excluded Roma Communities (28 May 2003, YMCA Palace, Prague). Consultant: Hana Frištenská, the 5) Roma Music at the Turn of the Millennium. The Proceedings of the Ethno-musicological Conference, Prague, 26 May Editor: Zuzana Jurková, Prague, 133 p. 4

13 Secretary of Government Council for Non-governmental Non-profit Organisations. The seminar reacted to topical issues belonging to the priorities of EU. Complementary activities of KHAMORO 2003: - the exhibition of photographs by journalist Jana Tržilová on Roma topics (Opening on 28 May 2003, One-eyed Shop Romen, Prague), - What They Told Me at Home - the exhibition of drawings and paintings made by children from Primary School Jarovnice in Eastern Slovakia (27 May 2003, French Institute, Prague), - Hard Memories - documentary films (27 May 2003, Jewish Community, Prague). Slovo 21, the organiser of the festival, submitted the draft of the budget for KHAMORO Roma World Festival in Prague 2003 as follows: I. Personal expenses Expert team for the preparation and realisation of professional seminars Consultants (5 persons x 8 months) from the Czech Republic Consultants from abroad Lecturers (34 persons) Production Producer, co-ordinator, 4 production assistants, auxiliary activities Royalties (script, direction, dramaturgy, graphics, performing on TV and Radio) Remunerations for artists Traditional music (10 bands - Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Kazakhstan, Chile, Russia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece) Gypsy jazz (3 concerts - bands from Netherlands, France and Germany) The presentation of Roma literature The march-past of performers- The Old Town The exhibition of photographs Travelling expenses II. Material expenses Equipment (telephone, fax, , Xerox) Stationery Audio and video cassettes, film equipment Special equipment III. Non-material expenses The rental of production areas (10 months) The rental of areas for the festival (Lucerna Hall, Lucerna Music Bar, Jazz Club Reduta, YMCA Palace etc.) Scenography, costumes, masks Lighting, sounding, special effects Travelling expenses (13 bands - Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Kazakhstan, Chile, Russia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, France and Netherlands) 6. Accommodation (13 bands, -do-) Publicity (posters, city-lights, catalogues, leaflets, invitation cards, panels) Medial campaign IV. Other expenses Insurance, visas, photo and video documentation, safety services the rental of instruments etc publications TOTALLY On the basis of Decree of the Ministry of Culture on non-investment grant from the State Budget from 25 April 2003 the amount of CZK was earmarked for Slovo 21 for the implementation of the project within the framework of the support of cultural activities of national minorities and on the basis of the consequent Decree from 13 May 2003 the amount of CZK was earmarked for the organisation of KHAMORO Roma World Festival. 5

14 The separate control department of the Ministry of Culture controlled the drawing and utilisation of the financial means of the State Budget provided within grants for the organisation of KHAMORO Roma World Festival. The control has been carried out from 17 to 19 March According to Control Protocol on the result of public control by virtue of 3 of Act No. 320/2001 Coll., on financial control in public administration ad the amendment of some acts (Financial Control Act) with reference to 15 of Act No. 552/1991 Coll., on state control no principal insufficiency was found in the drawing and utilisation of grants for the organisation of KHAMORO Roma World Festival The control checked all initial bookkeeping vouchers by which a controlled organisation accounted grants to the Ministry of Culture. The grants covered a) invoices of the preparation and organisation of the festival, the rental of areas, sounding the concerts, electric installations, the transport and accommodation of performers, stationery, the pre-print preparation and production of printed matters for the festival, the translation of lectures etc., b) travelling expenses of foreign ensembles on the territory of the Czech Republic, royalties, stationery etc. paid cash, c) agreements to complete a job for production assistants, organisers and experts participating in the preparation of the festival etc. It resulted from the control of accounted grants that grants for the organisation of KHAMORO Roma World Festival 2003 were utilised in accordance with Government Decree on providing grants including conditions determined by respective Decree of the Ministry of Culture on providing non-investment grants from the State Budget House of National Minorities in Prague The Report for 2001 dealt inter alia with the establishment of the House of National Minorities in Prague which should serve as a multicultural centre and the seat of minority organisations. In this context the government charged the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chairman of Legislative Government Council (who at that time executed also the function of the Chairman of Government Council for National Minorities) in co-operation with the Minister of Finance to include in the draft of the State Budget, budget chapter General Cash Administration, an item for the reconstruction of respective building for the House of National Minorities at the level of CZK which would be utilised as an investment grant for the Capital City of Prague. At the same time the government imposed a duty on the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chairman of Legislative Council of the Government in co-operation with the head of Office of the Government of the Czech Republic to submit to the government up to 31 May 2004 information about the implementation of the project. 6) The deadline of submitting this Report was postponed to 31 May 2004 consequently on the submitted Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in It resulted from the fact that a building for the House of National Minorities (Vocelova 602/3, Prague 2) which was transferred within the liquidation of the property of Children and Youth Fund to the property of Capital City of Prague and registered in the Land Register was not reconstructed. Hana Halová, the councillor of the Capital City of Prague, informed in her letter the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources that in the 6) See item II/1 and II/3 of Government Resolution No. 600 from 12 June 2002 to Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in The elaboration of the report on the implementation of the project in co-operation with the chief of Office of the Government of the Czech Republic ensued from the support of the establishment of the House of National Minorities in Prague. 6

15 half of 2003 Czech Electrotechnical Union brought an action against the Capital City of Prague aiming to get the above mentioned building in Vocelova Str. 602/3, Prague 2. Although an architectonic study on the reconstruction of this building is available (in cooperation with the representatives of national minorities and the members of Board of the Prague City Council for the National Minority Affairs) and the section of a municipal investor completed all preparatory works including the selection of a company which should reconstruct the building, because of bringing an action the reconstruction could not start. Because of bringing an action concerning the ownership of the building the Capital City of Prague did not draw for this purpose any financial means from the State Budget 2003 (budget chapter General Cash Administration, item House of National Minorities ). Although the Capital City of Prague attempted at the end of 2003 at depositing the amount of CZK until the problem of the ownership of the building would be resolved, the Ministry of Finance could not meet this requirement because budget rules did not allow it. It is presupposed that the legal dispute on the determination of ownership will terminate in 2004 and that is why the capitol city of Prague in co-operation with the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources asks for including the amount of CZK in the draft of the State Budget for 2005 as an investment grant for the reconstruction of the building assigned for the House of National Minorities in Prague. The Capital City of Prague stands out for the establishment of the House of National Minorities to ensure preconditions for the activities of organisations of the members of national minorities which are mostly concentrated in Prague. It leans on Government Resolution No. 173 from 19 February 2001 on the approval of granting an exception for a selection procedure for the transfer of a real estate from the Children and Youth Fund for the purposes of the establishment of the House of National Minorities in Prague. Government Decree on the approval of granting an exception is based on the concrete project of the activities of the House of National Minorities in Prague (by the Resolution mentioned in item I the government took the project into account). The detailed specification of the project, the function of the House of National Minorities and its activities are included in the document which was negotiated and approved by the Prague City Council by its Resolution No. 7/11 from 17 October 2002 to the draft of Conception of the Policy of the Capital City of Prague towards National Minorities. It results from this project that the Capital City of Prague will establish the House of National Minorities in Prague as a purposeful cultural institution for the activities of their organisations. It means that it will also ensure all operational expenses of this institution. Nevertheless, it is still questionable who will ensure investments for the complicated reconstruction of the building. Although the purpose was not materialised in 2003, the Capital City of Prague is ready to support the project financially in 2005, but it expects the participation of the state with respect to the assurance of preconditions for the exercise of national minority rights. Within the framework of an extended comment procedure concerning the submitted Report also the councillor of the Capital City of Prague and the Chairman of Board of the Prague City Council for the National Minority Affairs confirmed this attitude in her opinion. The project presupposes the financial participation of the state in the reconstruction of the building at the level of 50 % of total expenses Humanitarian gesture towards the active antagonists of Nazism and the members of national minorities To the issue of the humanitarian gesture towards the members of national minorities who came to personal harm due to the World War II an attention was paid in Information about the Actual Situation of the German National Minority and Selected Issues of the Croatian and Polish 7

16 National Minorities in the Czech Republic which was submitted by the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources and the Chairman of Government Council for National Minorities at the meeting of the government on 12 February 2003 as an information for the members of the government (reference number 138/03), and in Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in The government adopted Government Resolution No. 822 from 6 August 2003 to this Report whose item III/4 imposed a duty on the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources in co-operation with the 1 st Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Lady-Minister of Education, Youth and Sports and the Chairman of Legislative Council of the Government to elaborate and submit to the government until 31 October 2003 the draft of measures aimed at the solution of problems resulted from the petition of Assembly of the Germans in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia and Association of the Croatian Citizens in Within this term the expert group also prepared the draft of document Humanitarian Gesture towards the Active Antagonists of Nazism and the Members of National Minorities in the Czech Republic who Came to Personal Harm due to Measures Taken after the World War II against So-called Enemy Inhabitants on the Territory of Contemporary Czech Republic. The document is prepared for the meeting of the government in 2004, but it has not been negotiated yet. The draft of measures aimed at humanitarian gesture presupposes that the decisive criterion for the assignment of a person to a group of the addressees of humanitarian gesture will consist in proving direct relation between a personal harm and measures taken after the World War II on the territory of contemporary Czech Republic against persons belonging to so-called enemy inhabitants. This relates to the active antagonists of nationally-socialistic regime who proved loyalty to Czechoslovak Republic by their active participation in the fight for its liberation or suffered from Nazi or Fascist terror, but after the War they were deprived of their Czechoslovak citizenship and treated as so-called enemy inhabitants. In addition, this relates to the members of the German National Minority against whom a lot of national measures which often had a character of individual persecution have been taken in or until 1953 when their civil status was amended. Similar repressive measures related to the citizens belonging to Southern- Moravian Croatians, especially after 1948, or groups of inhabitants defined in an analogical or other way (for example the members of the Hungarian national minority etc.). Humanitarian gesture in the form of a single payment is addressed to direct victims only and it is not transferable. The payments within its framework are not enforceable by law. It should be based on the project submitted by a NGO in the Czech Republic and mediated by the Czech- German Fund For The Future. This Fund is considered to be an entity with the best experience with projects which are similarly complex from technical and organisational point of view. The specification of criteria and procedures for the implementation of the project of humanitarian gesture are included in the above draft of the document. The implementation of the project of humanitarian gesture is one of topical tasks fulfilment of which is expected by the representatives of German and the Croatian minorities or other groups of the members of national minorities as an important symbolic act and an expression of good will contributing to the creation of preconditions for the harmonious coexistence of the members of national minorities and the majority society. The draft of the document for the implementation of the project of humanitarian gesture presumes expenses at the level of CZK. Within a narrowed comment procedure concerning the draft of the source material for the meeting of the government also the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance agreed with earmarking the above amount from budget chapter 398 General Cash Administration, item Governmental Budget Reserve, for If the government does not decide on the implementation of the project of humanitarian 8

17 gesture in 2004, the corresponding amount for this purpose should be included in the draft of the State Budget for The support of projects of the members of national minorities Government Resolution No. 822 from 6 August 2003, item III/5a, imposed a duty on the Deputy Prime Minister for Research, Development, Human Rights and Human Resources to elaborate the analysis of the support of projects focused on the activities of the members of national minorities and the integration of the members of the Roma community from public finances, and submit its résumé to the government until 31 May 2004 within Report on the Situation of National Minorities in the Czech Republic in The detailed overview of the support of publicly financed projects of activities of the members of national minorities is mentioned in Parts 4, 5 and 6 of the Report, including factual evaluation. The procedures of providing grants from the State Budget for the implementation of projects of the members of national minorities or the projects of organisations functioning for their good are determined by Government Decree No. 98/2002 Coll., which determines the conditions and way of providing grants from the State Budget for the activities of members of national minorities and the support of integration of members of the Roma community (hereinafter Government Decree on providing grants for the activities of the members of national minorities ). The support of activities of the members of national minorities and their programmes represent one of the main fields of state grant policy towards non-governmental non-profit organisations (hereinafter NGOs ). It was determined by Government Resolution No. 642 from 19 June In this case grant programmes from the State Budget are divided into 4 themes: a) the support of the preservation, development and presentation of cultures of national minorities; b) the support of the spreading and reception of information in the languages of national minorities; c) the support of education in the languages of national minorities and multicultural education; d) the support of projects of the integration of the members of the Roma community. The summary of the support of projects of the members of national minorities (or those for their good) from the State Budget is mentioned in Parts 4 and 5 of this Report and respective appendices. The support of minority projects from public finances within the competence of local governments is mentioned in Part 6 in respective passages on the competence of the municipalities, statutory towns and regions. Providing grants to non-profit organisations from the budgets of regions conforms to the basic principles approved by Committee for Co-operation with Regions of Government Council for Non-profit Organisations (NGOs) on 13 March ) The administration of individual programmes relating to minority activities is ensured by the departments of culture, education or social affairs. In comparison with other programmes it is difficult to specify the percentage of grants within the programme for the support of projects of the members of national minorities or the projects of organisations acting for the good of them. Nevertheless, the amount is reduced to about 1 %. The grant programme of the support of activities of national minorities in 2003 was applied only in Moravian-Silesia and Zlín regions and the Capital City of Prague. Within the grant policy of other regions the support of minority projects occurs in 7) See Government Resolution No. 807 from 6 August 2003 to Report on the State of the Decentralisation of Financial Means Assigned to State Grants for the Projects of NGOs at the Level of Regions. In this context the government recommended inter alia to the representatives of regions to utilise in the grant policy of regions in 2004 Recommendation of Basic Principles for Providing Grants for the Projects of NGOs mentioned in the appendix to this document. 9

18 the programmes of the development of culture and art, the preservation of cultural heritage, the support of important cultural activities or leisure of children and young people. The comparison of the contribution of the State Budget and the budgets of regions and municipalities of the 3 rd category to finance the projects of the members of national minorities including the Roma community shows the decrease of financial grants at the central level due to the continual process of the transformation of public administration. Grants from public finances for the projects of the members of national minorities (including the members of the Roma community) in 2002 the budgets of communities of the 3rd category 4% the budgets of regions 5% the State Budget 91% Grants from public finances for the projects of the members of national minorities (including the members of the Roma community) in 2003 the budgets of communities of the 3rd category 9% the budgets of regions 13% the State Budget 78% If we compare the contribution of the budgets of regions to financing the projects of the members of national minorities including the Roma community in 2002 and 2003, it is clear that it increases in regions which included this issue in their grant chapters. While in 2002 only three regions included the programme of the support of financing the projects of the members of national minorities in their budgets, in 2003 nine regions did it (the Capital City of Prague, Southern Moravia, Karlovy Vary, Hradec Králové, Liberec, Moravian-Silesian, Pardubice, Ústí and Zlín regions). This is also an evidence of the successful transformation of state administration. 10

19 The contribution of regions to financing the projects of the members of national minorities (including the Roma community) in 2002 Vysočina region Liberec regionsouth-bohemian Pardubice region 0% 0% region 0% Olomouc region 0% 0% Ústí region 0% Pilsen region 0% Hradec Králové region 5% Karlovy Vary region 1% Central-Bohemian region 0% Zlín region Moravian-Silesian 0% region Southern 0% Moravian region 0% Capital City of Prague 94% The contribution of regions to financing the projects of the members of national minorities (including the Roma community) in 2003 Vysočina region Southern 0% Moravian region 1% Pardubice region Moravian-Silesian 6% region 1% South-Bohemian Hradec Králové region 6% region 0% Olomouc region Capital City of 0% Prague Zlín region 22% 8% Ústí region 53% Karlovy Vary region 1% Central-Bohemian region 0% Liberec regionpilsen region 2% 0% The analysis implemented by Government Council for NGOs showed that grants from the budgets of municipalities in 2003 for the projects of the members of national minorities including the members of the Roma community represented the amount of CZK (0.76 of total grants), from the budgets of regions CZK (1.78 % of total grants) and from the State Budget by means of ministries totally CZK (1.72 % of total grants). The grants from the State Budget within the competence of individual ministries represent different indices: the Ministry of Culture - 9 %, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs 1.3 %, the Ministry of the Interior - 10 % and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports 1.0 % of grants for the main fields of activity. The support of projects for the activities of national minorities depends above all on grants from the State Budget. The data in 2003 are as follows: 11

20 field specification Grant provider (type of grant) amount (CZK) cultural activities of the members of national Ministry of Culture minorities (grant programme) KHAMORO Roma World Festival Prague Ministry of Culture a) (grant based on Government Resolution) theatre, music, literature, plastic arts, Ministry of Culture, Dpt. Of Fine Arts and (grants of culture Dpts. and libraries) Libraries (grant programme) Library of the 21 st Century grant Ministry of Culture (grant programme) b) The publication of the periodicals of national Ministry of Culture minorities (grant programme) c) Education in the languages of national minorities Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and multicultural education (grant programme) The integration of the members of Roma community Ministry of Culture (grant programme) The integration of the members of Roma Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports community - the support of the head-start classes equipment (PHARE programme) d) The integration of the members of Roma Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports community The integration of the members of Roma community - the support of Roma pupils of secondary schools (grant programme) Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (grant programme) National (ethnic) minorities Issue Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs The overview of financing the activities of the members of national minorities in 2003 is included in the document of Government Council for NGOs on Main Fields of State Grant Policy towards NGOs for 2005 and the analysis of financing the NGOs from selected public budgets in ) In the framework of priorities in the field of grant policy this analysis shows the percentage of the support of programmes of the members of national minorities including the members of the Roma community within the total grants from public budgets towards NGOs as follows: Grants from public finances for the projects of the members of national minorities (Including the Roma community) - Comparison between 2002 and absolutely in % absolutely in % The budgets of communities of the 3 rd category , ,76 The budgets of regions , ,78 the State Budget , ,72 The contribution of individual ministries to financing the projects of the members of national minorities (including the Roma community) as a whole is following: 8) See Government Resolution No. 586 from 9 June 2004 on Main Fields of State Grant Policy towards NGOs for